(DailyEmailNews.com) – Highlighting a shocking case of child abuse and human rights violations, Connecticut authorities discovered a 32-year-old man held captive by his stepmother for over two decades.
The victim, weighing just 68 pounds when found, had been imprisoned since age 11 and denied basic medical care, adequate food, and freedom until he set a desperate fire to escape his torturer.
Kimberly Sullivan was arrested and charged with kidnapping, assault, unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons, and reckless endangerment.
She is currently being held on a $300,000 bond while her victim recovers from what authorities described as conditions worse than prison.
The case came to light only when the desperate man set fire to his prison using hand sanitizer and paper, risking his life for a chance at freedom.
His response was heartbreakingly simple when asked why he took such a dangerous action: “I wanted my freedom.”
The victim’s physical condition shocked even veteran law enforcement officials. At discovery, his body mass index was just 11 – far below the healthy range – and his appearance was compared to survivors of Nazi concentration camps.
During his captivity, he reportedly received minimal food and water and was only allowed out of his room for supervised chores.
The room where the victim was confined featured multiple exterior locks that increased security over time.
More disturbing is the revelation that police had previously visited the home in 2005 after school officials raised concerns about the child’s absence – yet found no cause for alarm, allowing the abuse to continue for 18 more years.
Sullivan, through her attorney, denies all allegations. Her lawyer claimed, “He was not locked in a room. She did not restrain him in any way. She provided food; she provided shelter.”
This contradicts the physical evidence of severe malnourishment and the victim’s desperate attempt to escape by setting a fire.
The investigation continues as authorities work to understand how this tragedy could have unfolded for so long without intervention.
Ultimately, this case serves as a stark reminder that evil can hide behind suburban doors and that communities must remain vigilant when children suddenly disappear from public life.
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